Incontinence In Men

What is Incontinence in Men?

Incontinence in men or lose of bladder control in men is a condition where a person is unable to freely control his urinary discharge. Studies show that most men will start to suffer from or show symptoms of incontinence after prostate surgery, when they go over 60, but it is also possible for younger men to experience it.

There are millions of people who suffer from incontinence but most are embarrassed to admit it so treatment never begins. In the US alone it’s estimated that there are over 13 million sufferers of incontinence. Studies also show that it is more common in women than in men.

What Causes Incontinence in Men?

In order to understand why incontinence in men happens, it is important to know how our body handles the process of urination. A normal bladder will be able to stretch when it starts filling up with urine from the kidney. At around 200 mL of urine, most people will feel the “urge” to urinate already although it isn’t at a level yet that it can’t be held in. Our bladders can usually stretch and take in 400-500 mL of urine before we feel we must absolutely discharge. Nocturia can be defined as: awakening quite often at night needing to pass urine.

In order to control the flow of urine, the sphincter and the bladder wall have to work together. The sphincter is a muscle located at the opening of the bladder and it controls the exit of urine by squeezing. The bladder wall muscle on the other hand can also control the flow of urine by either contracting or relaxing. When relaxed it allows the bladder to expand and take in more urine. If it contracts it creates a squeezing action that pushes urine out of the bladder.

Now Incontinence in men is usually a result of an anatomy problem. There could be something wrong with one of the muscles or the bladder itself. However it is also possible for a blockage to exist which causes urine to build up to a point that it can’t be contained by the bladder anymore. Another possibility is a nerve or muscle disorder that prevents or hinders the normal function of the muscles.

What are the types of Incontinence in Men?

This type of incontinence results from a physical activity like coughing or exercise. With stress incontinence, the muscles that control urine discharge are weak or are temporarily weakened. So when pressure is applied to the area on and around the abdomen, the muscles are unable to prevent the discharge of urine.

The second type is Urge Incontinence

Urge incontinence happens when we are unable to properly control our bladder muscles. People who suffer from bladder cancer or infection for example will sometimes experience inappropriate bladder contractions causing urine discharge before the person is ready. In most cases the person will initially feel the need to discharge but won’t have enough time to do so properly.

The third type is Overflow Incontinence

Overflow incontinence is caused by a blockage that prevents urine from being discharged normally. It will reach a point when the bladder cannot stretch anymore and the pressure will force the urine out. Overflow incontinence in men is often associated with an enlarged men's prostate and prostate cancer.

How can Incontinence in Men be treated?

Obviously the first thing that you need to do if you’re suffering from incontinence is to have a professional conduct a checkup. Treatment will depend on the cause of incontinence and some are less invasive and expensive than others.

One of the simplest and most commonly prescribed cure are kegel exercises for men. This is done by contracting and relaxing the pelvic muscles in order for them to properly support the bladder and increase ones control of urinary discharge.

Another simple treatment is behavioral retraining. This essentially requires the person to set certain periods for urination whether he feels like he has to or not. Gradually the gaps between the periods will increase as more control over the bladder is developed.

Other forms of treatment are:

• Surgery

• Medicines

• Artificial Sphincter

• Collagen Injection

• Electrical stimulation

For most patients still undergoing treatment, absorbent pads and undergarments used to be prescribed. Now men have a choice of using an Incontinence Clamp that stops the flow of urine for a period of time and allows him to continue his every day activities. These types of clamps are designed to be unnoticeable and will allow the person using them to go on with his daily life without fear of embarrassment. sitemap